Police destroy Maoist camp in Orissa, four held

BHUBANESWAR - A Maoist camp was destroyed by the police Tuesday in Orissa’s Keonjhar district, and four rebels were arrested and several weapons seized, an official said.

Police attacked the camp spread over half an acre area near Telkoi village on the border of neighbouring Dhenkanal district, 335 km from here, Superintendent of Police A.K. Singh told IANS.

“We arrested four rebels, while others managed to flee,” he said.

Those arrested include 25-year-old Birsa alias Raghu, an area commander of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist, Singh said.

“He joined the Maoists four years ago and committed several crimes in the district. The other three are his associates. All of them are between 25 to 30 years of age. They too were involved in Maoist activities,” the officer said.

“Police have seized four country-made guns, other weapons, five global positioning system devices, Maoist literature, utensils and food material from the camp,” he said.